


Class 108's Apocalypse Field Trip

by tickingclockheart



Series: Class 108's Various Endeavors into the Esoteric and Arcane [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: (one of my OCs), And so does Tabitha, Apocalypse Field Trip AU, EYEBALL DADDY, Eyepocalypse, Gen Z would handle the apocalypse well, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jon VS Memes, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist Has ADHD, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Spoilers for The Magnus Archives Season 5, Teacher Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Trauma and Memes, just because we're so desensitized to shit at this point, season 5
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:34:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25532923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tickingclockheart/pseuds/tickingclockheart
Summary: Class 108 was prepared for a lot of things, but lockdown drills didn't cover the Apocalypse. With over half their class dead and little hope left, Class 108 resigns themselves to a life under Eyeball Daddy's watchful gaze.That is, until their resident cryptid English teacher, Jonathan Sims, comes bursting through the door.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Class 108's Various Endeavors into the Esoteric and Arcane [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850083
Comments: 195
Kudos: 504





	1. highschool (ft. trauma)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lockdowns don't prepare kids for the apocolypse, and class 108 learns that the hard way.

The world ended on a Tuesday. Quite suddenly, halfway through class. After the sky split open and green light bathed the earth, things changed. Some lived.

Some didn’t.

Class 108 stayed together, for the most part. They took up a base in the school, and boarded up the windows and doors.

Sydney was the one who first learned they didn’t need to eat. Other revelations of that sort followed. Sleep was not needed, nor was water. Air seemed to be, though, as they learned after Cal passed out from holding their breath.

The first one to die was Cú _._

They don’t talk about Cú.

-

Of course, some things are unavoidable in the end. Logically, Sydney knew it was only a matter of time before something managed to slip under the cracks and they’d all get killed; god knows they’d narrowly scraped by enough times to be considered cosmically lucky. Tabitha had been spreading rumors, as was her nature, about the school itself being sentient, trapping them inside with false promises of safety.

On the worse days, Sydney believed it.

Sydney stepped into the classroom slowly, craning her head to where Tabitha and Rosie were explaining their theories. She didn’t know _which_ theories, but she’d heard most of them by now.

“G’morning.” She said.

It was night.

 _No,_ she thought, _the sky is dark, but that doesn’t mean it’s night._

Rosie gestures towards a desk, and she avoids the chair toppled over at her feet as she sits down on top of it. She takes not of who else had decided to attend this “session” of theirs today. There are 9 students left out of the thirty who had originally made up the class. Thirteen of them had disappeared after running away from the school in shock after the eye in the sky had first opened. They hadn’t been in homeroom during the “blink,” which is what they’d taken to call the eye opening, and hadn’t seen any teachers since that day.

She remembered it vividly.

Ms. Bruis had tensed, eyes wide in shock, before telling them to calm down and stay indoors. She immediately went outside the room to check on everyone else.

That was the last time they’d seen Ms. Bruis, but not the last time they’d seen her face.

Besides the initial chaos, there wasn’t anything attacking the school. It was just shouting and screaming and running. Sydney had stayed in the classroom, clumsily trying to close the blinds on the window.

People just, left. And they didn’t come back.

The first venture was when they lost Cú. She doesn’t like to talk about him, never mind think about him. Nonetheless, her mind often drifts towards his death.

It was about four hours after the chaos. People had been nearly sucked out of the building, teachers included. The only ones that remained were the thirty students of 108.

Sydney didn’t know why they were the only ones to remain. She still doesn’t now.

The students decided to have a short party go out and scout. Sydney, Katie, Cú, Tabitha and Rosie. Four survived, one did not.

Rosie was always the most logical of the group, and as such she took the front. Katie was chosen for her seemingly nonchalant disposition to going, and Tabitha for her mind, which was always going too fast and often arriving at far-out conclusions. Despite this, she was a highly intelligent person and seemed to make connections no one else did. Cú was selected for his physicality. He was a teddy bear, but a strong teddy bear.

It didn’t save him in the end.

And Sydney, well, she was cautious. She wonders if she could’ve saved Cú if she’d been just a little bit wearier.

They wandered a few blocks before hearing the sound of skin and bone splitting. Tabitha immediately ran toward the sound, as was her nature. The rest, Rosie at the lead, followed, hiding behind a corner.

Katie didn’t make a face, but even she was visibly pale.

When the sound came again, louder, and a creature made of wet flesh and twisted muscle stepped out of the alleyway, she became practically white.

Sydney retched. She’s not ashamed to admit it, you would’ve too. Anyone would’ve retched if they saw that sight.

It got worse.

“Hello?! Someone! Help me, please!”

It was Ms. Bruis-no, it _looked_ like Ms. Bruis.

Cú ran. He dodged the creature, running to Ms. Bruis and starting to try to pick her up off the ground, before he noticed she was rooted to the cement. His eyes widened as blood ran down her face

She smirked.

Sydney will _always remember_ the flash of teeth before she plunged her hand-no, her claw-into his stomach. He made a choked sound before the creature bounded back over and ripped his jaw clean off.

They ran. They ran. They ran.

And then they came back to the classroom, and they wept.

There were more expeditions after that. They lost seven more after that, but in those ventures, they collected knowledge. This knowledge went on Rosie’s list, though it also doubled as a rulebook.

-

THE LIST

1\. Some creatures can make copies of people you know in order to trick you. They don’t bleed, so your best shot at not meeting eyeball daddy up close is to yeet the fuck outta there//bold of you to assume I don’t want to meet eyeball daddy uwu//

2\. Don’t trust meat. Ever. Meat comes alive. WE ARE VEGANS IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2018(?)

3\. Don’t answer the door, even if you’re armed. No, Elliot, we do not count your big muscles™ as a weapon.

4\. If you MUST answer the door, don’t. You have been stopped.

5\. A short section on the happenings of the places(?) known to us as “nightmares.”

Nightmares trap humans in these crazy places. We’ve only seen two, but they are extremely dangerous, and both encounters ended in casualties. They trap your mind and make you experience terrible things, and like the rest of the world (to our knowledge at least) don’t follow normal time or space rules. Basically, if you want to avoid a ,’ , |,’_’, you should not screw with that shit.

6\. Always check with someone else before eating or drinking. Sometimes, your mind will play tricks on you and you won’t notice that you’re eating something…not good. Honor cal for their sacrifice regarding this matter (sorry cal)

7\. Always shut the blinds. Eyeball daddy is watching you//YOU DID NOT NEED TO SAY THAT TABITHA

8\. Don’t leave the building without consulting all of class 108.

9\. Don’t read books that others haven’t read first, especially if it says it’s from the library of Jurgen LeitnerSTUPID IDIOT MOTHERFUCKING JURGEN LEITENER GOD DAMN FOOL BOOK COLLECTING DUST EATING RAT OLD BASTARD SHITHEAD IDIO//yes, Riko, we get it, but good point. Be Jared, 19.

10\. Don’t invite anyone in.

-

“What are we on today?” Sydney asked.

“Tabitha’s on about the categories again.” Cal said.

“I really think it could work!” she said loudly. “Look, there’s consistencies in every single encounter we’ve had. Think about it. Remember what happened at the theater?”

Katie grimaced silently. “How could we forget?”

Tabitha ignored her. “The webs. Spiders and the rest of those insects are different categories. The wriggly silver worms are more like, bugs and wriggly things and judging from the infestation we had they all work together.”

“Like a hive?” Cal asked.

Tabitha nodded. “Exactly like that. Spiders are different though; you saw how many were crawling about during the amphitheater incident. And that whole thing was about control. All those people who were laughing…they, they were there. They didn’t want to do it! They didn’t want to laugh, you saw their eyes. They were being controlled. And when,” she paused, gritting her teeth, “and when Marcy died she was being controlled too. Puppeted.”

That’s two. Then we come to the next one, guns and murder and war and shit like that. Simple enough. But I think it has to be humans killing humans, because the thing that killed, killed _Cú wasn’t like that. It was, it was different. I don’t know. I’ll get back to that._

“Then we have the cover up, or the anonymous things. Things like those little creatures that hide in your plates that you can’t notice are there until someone tells you. That’s why I’m confused, because I think the weird fleshy creature we faced was aligned with that but also with those meat things that broke Rosie’s leg. I don’t know how to explain it, but, ah. Sorry. I think they’re the same category.”

“I’ll humor you; can a thing be two categories?” Katie questioned her dully.

“I think so. Maybe it’s like colors? Really angry colors. They’re all separate, but the same because they’re all made of the same stuff. And they all blur together sometimes?”

“Yeah,” Katie snorted, “we’re being killed by _really angry colors_.”

Tabitha flushed. “Hey! It was just an analogy.”

Rosie seemed to be considering what Tabitha had said, before she looked up. “I believe you.”

“Y-you do?” Tabitha blinked, taken back.

Rosie nodded. “It makes sense. Really angry colors.”

“Really angry colors.”

-

A few hours-well, time was weird, but Sydney supposed it was hours-later, the class was doing yoga. Well, not “yoga” per se. They were beating each other on the head with torn up yoga mats.

“Hey!” Riko shouted as Tabitha tripped over her mat while chasing Cal. “Watch it! This is where I sleep!”

Tabitha stuck her tongue out and Katie snorted, not looking up from her book. Sydney wondered how she did that; Katie always seemed to have an astounding amount of situational awareness at all times.

“Real mature.” Katie groused.

Tabitha grinned, and Rosie smiled softly.

“I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU MEET EYEBALL DADDY!” she shouted to Cal, who’s eyes widened in mock fear.

“Oh no! The horror! OwO!” They said dramatically.

“Did they just say “OwO”?” Sydney asked in a deadpan. Rosie nodded solemnly.

“You ever wonder…” Sydney trailed off, the muffled shouting of their peers drowned out into the background.

“Wonder what?” Rosie tilted her head in question.

“What happened to Mr. Sims.”

“He’s probably…not with us anymore.”

“Yeah. Still, could you imagine? He was a bloody cryptid. He’d probably take all this with no sweat.”

“Maybe he’d give us concerts too.”

“Good ole Jonny D’Ville.”

Rosie snickered.

“You know how he always drew eyes everywhere? During tests?”

“Oh god, don’t mention that to Tabitha, I don’t need her going on about another conspiracy.”

Sydney grinned to herself and Rosie groaned.

“Well, I was thinking, maybe it was an omen.”

“An omen?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been spiritual really, but the worlds gone to shit so who knows what’s real. Maybe the Mayans were just a few days off.”

“Ah, the apocalypse calendar.”

“Indeed.”

-

**_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_ **

A noise rang out from the entrance to the school, loud and imposing. Sydney’s heart started to thump wildly in terror.

They all shot up, and Katie got her switchblade out from her pocket. She was lucky enough to have it on her at the blink, and it was their best weapon.

Cypress shot inside the classroom silently, eyes wide, red curls bouncing. He clicked the door shut quietly, pale. “The others sent me. They’re hiding in place. I think we should just stay put.”

Rosie nodded, gesturing him to come over. She placed a finger over her lips in order to get them to stay silent, then nodded to Katie. Katie had always been gifted with really good hearing, and it had saved their assess more than enough times for Rosie to know that letting her try to hear who was at the door was the best safe bet for situation and the time being.

Katie closed her eyes, but after a quarter of a minute shook her head.

That’s when they heard it.

“Hello!”

Sydney brought a hand to her mouth to clamp down a scream.

It was Cypress.

Eyes wide, she glanced over to Cypress, her Cypress, who’s expression was now glazed over. Was his skin always that waxy? Why was his hair so smooth? It looked like that of a dolls, curls made of softly bent plastic.

Katie saw the flicker of light before she saw the blade, and she _lunged_.

Her switchblade pierced his skin-no, his _stuffing_ , with a sound akin to ripping a toy. It didn’t seem to stop this not-Cypress.

 _Oh god_ , Sydney thought, _today is the day I die._

There was a sound like static now in the air, and the faint smell of burning. Sydney began to feel sick, almost lightheaded.

The door swung open, and Sydney whipped her head around to see Cypress, who was trailed by…Mr. Sims?


	2. the kids are (not) alright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon makes two statements, and is promptly horrified at what's happened to class 108 in his absence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warnings for war and the web.

The school, bathed in green light, seemed to loom over them in a way not unlike the panopticon. Its pillars stood wide and the lot between the foyer of the school was far longer than Jon recalled. The gate seemed to twist with something akin to malice.

“Why are we here, Jon?” Martin asked, running his hand through the curls sat on top his head.

“It’s…not right here. They aren’t trapped, not like…” Jon wavered. “It doesn’t matter. It’s the calm before the slaughter... The taste of innocence being ripped away while watching flesh being ripped-”

“Okay! Okay, please don’t get ominous on me. I can’t be that for you.”

“I know, it’s just…” Jon ran his hands through his hair in distress.

“It’s a lot.” Martin finished for him, putting his hand on Jon’s shoulder in an attempt to steady him. “But wait, I thought we already did the slaughter?”

“It’s…it’s complicated. This place is like an epicenter. The school isn’t consumed in a nightmare, but it’s surrounded by them.”

“Like the safehouse?” Martin questioned, thinking back to the place they’d stayed in blissful peace for months before the end of the world.

“Exactly. I think…” he sighed, “I think I need to make a statement.”

Martin nodded, resigned. “I’ll wait over there.” He pointed to a tree near the gate.

Jon tilted his head in acknowledgement and waited until his footsteps grew quiet, then took a breath and began.

_“See Marcy. See Marcy dance. See Sydney. See Sydney scream as she sees Marcy dance. Marcy is dead, but her body still moves. Her body still moves she sees nothing at all. See Katie cut, cut, cut and slice the webs with her knife. Cut, cut, cut and slice. Cut, cut, cut and slice._

_Marcy is dead, but see Marcy dance._

_See Tabitha. See Tabitha laugh. See Tabitha. See Tabitha cry. See Tabitha. See Tabitha trapped in spiderwebs._

_Why are they laughing? Why is Tabitha laughing? Why is Tabitha crying?_

_See Tabitha. See Tabitha cry because she does not want to laugh._

_See Rosie. See Rosie free Katie. See Katie drag Tabitha out of the theater, still laughing and crying. See them run, run, run, home to their little cove in the sun. The sun that is an eye. The sun that does not blink. The sun that watches, always.”_

Jon was shaking, and he noticed that Martin was hovering over him, holding him close as he came back to himself. His palms were sweaty but his body was ice cold.

God, what had he done?

“Jon? Jon, are you okay?” Martin asked, worry creasing his brow.

“I-they’ve been through a lot Martin. That was only one statement…there’s so much more…and the watcher drinks it all in…” He shivered, digging his nails into his palms.

“They’re alive?!” Martin said in surprise, eyebrows raised.

Jon nodded. “Not all of them. Not _most_ of them, but I think Elias spared them from the nightmares. Maybe as a gift? Maybe he wants to use them for something. I don’t know.”

“That’s…mildly horrifying. Actually, drop the mildly.”

Jon barked out a bitter laugh, before going quiet. “I think I need to do another one. Maybe two. This place, it’s…”

“Another-okay, got it. I’ll be over there. Take your time.”

Jon nodded in thanks, waiting until Martin was far enough away to not hear him.

He loathed this, and he loathed himself for bringing it about. Mentally steeling himself, he began to speak.

_“Eva knows guns. Eva knows guns. Eva knows guns. Her father, when he was alive, had told her that she’d need to defend herself one day. He was a military man through and through, and used the discipline he’d learned there to guide her through her life._

_Nothing she learned had prepared her for this._

_She is a prodigy with a gun, her aim impeccable from years of practice and innate talent. She’s selected as a sniper as soon as she joins._

_She doesn’t like to think about her bullets and where they go. She just pulls the trigger; it isn’t her place to argue about the morality of the situation._

_The battleground in bloody, and there’s that bagpipe sound in the background, annoying and loud. Eva’s never been a musician, but she’s certain they aren’t meant to sound like that._

_Eva does not like the trenches._

_She wakes everyday at dawn, and then she gets her gun and leaves on a cart that will surely be filled with the dead bodies of her friends by the time she returns. The cart leads to various places, all deadly._

_She hates the trenches._

_When had she came here? Oh, that’s right. Something big happened, something she can’t quite remember. The world was bathed in green._

_The blink!_

_She does not know what that means, but that’s what it was called. The blink._

_And then she was here, in the trenches._

_And then…what had happened then? She didn’t remember. All she remembered was the war. The war and the gunfire._

_The war that never seemed to end._

_There is blood in the trenches. It pools like water, and it smells rancid with rot and the tinge of chemical does not help at all._

_Eva does not like the war, but there is no choice but to fight. Fight. Fight._

_Fight._

_Eva is the youngest in the trenches. She is 16._

_Eva is the youngest in the trenches._

_See Eva._

_See Eva bleed._

_See Eva scream._

_See Eva kill._

_See Eva stich her skin back together._

_See Eva sleep._

_See Eva wake._

_See Eva._

_See Eva bleed.”_

Jon repeated those lines over and over until his head hurt and he was panting. Martin was still at the tree, humming to himself.

_Probably for the best._

Jon finally went quiet. He was so numb he didn’t want to move. It was bad enough he had to know all these things happening to strangers, but to _children_? To his _students_?

It was hell.

He laughed bitterly, running his hand through his hair and flapping his hands in an attempt to steady himself.

“Martin?” he called, “I’m done!”

Martin nodded and returned to his side. “How was it?”

“…One of them is in the slaughter.”

“Shit, Jon.”

“Yeah.”

They walked in silence through the gate, until they heard a noise from their left.

-

All of a sudden, a boy with curly red hair bounded into Martin. He yelped and feel back, and the boy raised his club to strike him down.

“Cypress!” Jon shouted, getting in front of Martin.

“You aren’t Mr. Sims! Mr. Sims is dead. Get away from us!” Cypress shouted frantically, eyes wide in fear.

Jon tried to calm him down. “Cypress, I can explain, but you need to put the club down.”

Cypress hesitated, before steeling himself once again and slowly reaching down into his pocket.

“He’s getting a gun-Jon he’s getting a-” Jon waved away Martin’s concerns, knowing full well what was in his pockets.

_Sometimes being an eldritch all-knowing horror is helpful._

Cypress pulled out something covered in polkadotted cloth, before dragging the cloth of the item that was revealed to be a sharp piece of glass.

“Hands out. Both of you.”

Martin looked to Jon, who nodded. They both put their hands out.

Cypress cautiously came closer, before using the glass to cut into Martin’s palm. Martin yelped, drawing his hand back, but Cypress seemed satisfied that he could bleed at all.

He did the same for Jon, who grit his teeth and looked away as the shard pierced his skin.

“You aren’t-you aren’t made of stuffing, are you real?” Cypress looked torn between hope and caution, eyes filling with tears.

Jon slowly approached, before pulling the boy into a hug, Cypress melted into it, fighting back the tears in his eyes. It occurred to Jon that this must’ve been the first interaction he’d had with an adult since the eye opened.

These were children. These were students. And they’d all been through so much.

Jon held him closer, hand stroking his curls and tears threatened to escape and his body shook with the effort not to sob.

All of a sudden, Cypress shot up.

“What was I doing outside?” He said frantically, wiping the tears away from his face, still trembling.

“What?” Martin questioned him.

“We aren’t supposed to go outside without consulting everyone-I only just realized it now. I just woke up outside and I didn’t even question it. Oh my god, I could’ve been killed.” He panicked, eyes widening. “Something might be inside. There’s no way I got out here on my own!”

Cypress whipped around and sprinted to the door, Martin and Jon in his trace. The door was locked, of course, and he started pounding on it.

“Hello!”

Martin pushed him out of the way gently, before fishing out some knitting needles from his coat pocket.

“What are you going to do, make me a sweater?!” Cypress said frantically, trying to resort to wit in order to abide his terror.

“No, I’m going to pick the lock.” Martin answered, focusing on the door as he maneuvered his needles into the lock.

Jon could’ve sworn he heard Cypress say “pick my lock daddy” under his breath, but he wasn’t going to get into _that_.

It only took Martin a few seconds to unlock the door, before Cypress was sprinting in. Martin slammed the door behind him as he entered the school, locking it while Cypress jetted into the classroom with Jon in his trace.

Jon entered just in time to see Katie trying to stab…Cypress? No, it was a not-them. He narrowed his eyes.

“Stranger.”

“Archivist! How nice to see you!” not-Cypress stood up unnaturally, its body moving robotically. “You killed Sasha, well, not-Sasha, but names aren’t important to me! So, I decided to murder all of your students. Isn’t that grand!”

Jon narrowed her eyes. “I see you, Stranger. You forget your place in this world.”

Not-Cypress shivered. “Empty threats, Archivist You wouldn’t do that,” it paused, looping its hand around Sydney’s neck and bringing its blade to her throat, “when I’m doing this.”

Jon narrowed his eyes in apprehension.

“BEGONE THOT.” Tabitha screeched. She lunged at it, kicking it in the face with her boot. It didn’t damage it, but it distracted it long enough for Katie to grab its weapon.

It laughed. “Oh, but you forget. What is a knife, anyway?”

Katie looked around, eyes wide, but she didn’t know what was in her hand. It was weighted, and sharp, but she didn’t know-

“You forget your place.” Jon said once again. “I see you. No, I Know you. You aren’t anonymous, you’re just a nuisance. Ceaseless watcher, turn your gaze upon this wretched thing.”

Dozens of glowing, neon green eyes seemed to surround him, and Sydney felt as if she was being watched by the entire world.

It didn’t feel good, but the thing that wasn’t Cypress started screaming, so she took that as a good sign.

And then there was green.

And then it was gone.

“...what the fuck?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment if you liked this! Also, I need ideas so if you have any please tell me because I need more.


	3. jon sims VS. tiktok and trauma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon gives an explanation. It goes about as well as you'd expect (not).

Katie was the first one to recover, turning her knife on Mr. Sims and charging forward. Martin yanked him out of the way.

“Woah! Woah, woah. Hey!” he said, waving his arms to get her to calm down.

“Katie.” Rosie barked, which in that tone meant “ _stand down._ ”

Katie withdrew, not taking her eyes off her former teacher. “You can’t be real. You obviously aren’t human, and-”

“If you put down the knife, I promise I’ll give you answers.” Jon said, hands up and breathing steady.

Katie glanced over to Rosie, who narrowed her eyes in thought then gave a quick nod. She begrudgingly lowered her weapon, eyes still locked with the two newcomers in the room.

There was a moment of silence.

“What the fuck just happened?” Riko asked, slipping her glasses off in disbelief.

“I…I smited him.” Jon answered awkwardly. “Okay, how about we get everyone in here and then we can have…a class.”

“A class.” Katie deadpanned. Jon nodded, and she shrugged, standing up and gesturing for Riko to come with her while she fetched Elliot and Raphi, who were still in the other classroom. Probably kissing. Ugh.

An awkward silence filled the air, before Tabitha turned to the window and tilted her head. “Who opened the blinds?”

The rest of the kids shook their heads, and Tabitha sighed, turning the rod to the right and shutting the outside world out of sight.

“Eyeball daddy must’ve wanted to say hi.” she said thoughtfully.

Jon choked, and Martin had a look of mild horror on his face as he patted Jon’s back to stop him from coughing.

“E-exuse me?” he stammered.

Tabitha was unfazed.

“Eyeball daddy. You know, the great voyeur? The big smexy eyeball in the sky?”

Martin keeled over wheezing while Jon dropped his jaw.

“The-the Beholding?!” “Smexy?!”

Tabitha wrinkled her nose. “That’s a stupid name. All hail eyeball daddy.”

“All hail eyeball daddy.” The rest of the kids said in unison, looking bored. It was more of a reflex for them at this point.

Martin and Jon shared a look of horror, before Riko entered with Katie, Elliot and Raphi following her.

“Okay then, take a seat. I’ll explain, but, it isn’t pretty.”

“Really? The apocalypse isn’t pretty? I had no idea!” Raphi snarked. Elliot batted him on the head, and Jon was painfully reminded of a similar interaction between Tim and Sasha in the past.

 _No_ , he thought, _there’s no time to dwell on that_.

“There are fourteen entities called the fears that previously existed in a different place outside of our universe. They all have domain over different fears, and people that serve them get…abilities in exchange for feeding the-”

“Like the spiders! And the masked people! And the-” Tabitha cut herself off, “sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself,” she muttered, wringing her hands and tapping her foot.

“No, go on.” Jon prompted her to continue.

She hesitated. “W-we’ve just been noticing patterns…I call them categories. They’re like…really angry colors? If that makes sense?”

Jon looked impressed. “And you just figured all that out?”

She nodded.

He sighed. “Well, you’re not wrong. These “really angry colors” are called the fear powers. Some think them alike to gods, but they don’t have any true motives other than to feed. They aren’t like humans in that respect. They have no motivation.”

The class watched, enraptured as he continued his explanation.

“There’s the Slaughter, fear of war and violence. The Lonely, fear of isolation. The Web, fear of-”

“Being controlled.” Rosie said quietly. Jon nodded.

“Exactly. And-”

“Spiders.” Tabitha shivered, remembering being cocooned in their webs; the feeling of legs crawling over her skin and weaving her in threat.

Jon made a gesture to show that she was right. He continued to explain the rest of the fear powers, until he stopped abruptly.

“And then there’s the Eye.” He said, looking to the closed window. He realized he was running a tape recorder, but at this point he couldn’t care less. The Eye saw everything anyway.

“Wait, hold on, how do you even know any of this?” Elliot asked him, eyes narrowed.

Jon sighed. “Getting to that.”

“The Eye-”

“Eyeball daddy-” “shut up Tabitha-”

“-is the fear of being watched, or being known. I know this one better than all the others, because I…serve it.”

“You what?!” Riko exclaimed, and Katie inched towards her knife.

“I wasn’t exactly given a choice,” he said shortly, rubbing his temples with his palm. “I assume you all know the Magnus Institute?”

Rosie nodded hesitantly. They’d all done their fair share of research on their enigma of a teacher. You would too, if someone like him showed up out of the blue and said cryptic things all the time.

Things that made far more sense these days then she would’ve liked.

“Well, the position of the Archivist, which is what I am, is more or less a trap. You can’t quit, and you become very connected to the Eye. It…changes you.”

“That’s ominous.” Katie muttered. Jon ignored her.

“What’s your connection to all this?” Riko questioned skeptically.

“That’s,” Jon breathed, “that’s a long story.”

“Cut out the boring bits and tell us; it’s not like we have anything better to do.” Elliot shrugged.

“Well, I suppose I started the whole thing.”

“What?!-” “No!-” “How dare you-” “I will fuck you up-”

A chorus of anger erupted in the room, and Martin stepped to the left of Jon’s side.

“He didn’t start it. He’s just guilty about-.”

“If I had fought it-”

“You know full well that wouldn’t have worked. I’m tired of you trying to make yourself the villain.” He stared Jon down begrudgingly.

“Look,” Martin sighed, “I’ll explain since he sees it fit to make himself out to be the enemy here. Our boss, Elias Bouchard, who is actually Jonah Magnus but back to that later, manipulated him. He basically had him marked by all the fourteen fears, and then forced him to complete the ritual that opened the eye. He had no choice in the matter.”

Katie withdrew, and they all relaxed.

“It’s not your fault, then, Mr. Sims.” Sydney said with furrowed brows.

He shook his head. “I…if I hadn’t opened that letter then none of this would’ve happened. I’ve done some bad things.”

“l laughed while one of my best mates got murdered,” Said Tabitha, getting off a desk covered in sharpie doodles.

Jon sighed. “You were under the influence of the Web.”

“And you were under the influence of the eye. How is that different?”

Jon ran a hand through his hair, looking to Martin, who was gazing down on him expectantly. “Fine, yes, I see your point.”

Tabitha nodded, satisfied.

“Why were you here in the first place?” Elliot asked.

“The Eye tells me where to go, and when I found out all of you were alive I decided I needed to come back for you.” Jon answered him, looking to the closed window briefly.

“Come back for us? But we’re safest here!” Sydney protested.

Jon hesitated. “They Eye preserved you because of your connection to me, at least, that’s what I think. It might have been Elias, maybe as a gift? But if I choose to…reject this “present” then you’ll each be thrown into different domains.”

Beat.

“Well fuck.” Tabitha said.

“Language.” Jon said half-heartedly.

“What are you going to do, send her to the principal?” Raphi retorted sarcastically. Tabitha tilted her head towards him and raised her eyebrow at Jon, signifying her agreement

A few people grumbled in agreement, before a pall of silence took over the room.

“Where are we going, anyway?” Asked Cal, who’d been uncharacteristically silent while processing all that had happened.

Jon clenched his fist. “The Panopticon.”

“You mean the tower? That’s not far from here!” Elliot told him.

“Yes, but…space doesn’t work like it used to. We’re going to have to venture through every domain until we can reach it.”

“And what’s the plan?” Katie questioned, expression blank.

“Don’t die? And reset the world” Martin offered.

“That’s _it_?” Katie said incredulously, her tone affronted.

“It’s a work in progress.” Jon defended.

“Oh well fuck-” “We’re screwed-” “Eyeball daddy, I’m coming for you-” “Bold of you guys to assume I don’t want to die-” “Cypress are you okay-” “If I get into hell I call lava bath-”

Jon facepalmed.

Martin was honestly both concerned and impressed about how they were handling this. If it was him, at this age he would’ve been freaking out and crying, not complaining.

“How are you so calm about this?” He asked, brows furrowed in surprise.

Raphi shrugged. “We’re Gen Z. We had lockdown drills all the time preparing us for a shooter, and once you think of that shit enough it’s not like you aren’t surprised when it happens. We’ve never been afraid of dying, we’re just afraid of watching the world burn,” the other kids nodded in agreement, “and look where that fucking got us.”

Martin was honestly stunned, but he chose not to comment.

“How poetic of you, Raph.” Elliot cooed.

“Oh, fuck off.”

There was a bittersweet moment of hesitation, before Tabitha yelled. “We’re going to win this, fuckers! We have the power of God and Anime on our side! Hiya!” She did the motions from the vine, and the rest of the class followed.

“Hiya!”

-

“List?” Rosie asked, checking supplies off her clipboard.

“Check!”

“Everyone have a weapon or something they can use as one? No, Elliot, I do not count your “bulging muscles” as a weapon. Stop pouting.”

“Check!”

“Everyone grab a buddy. Sydney will be with Tabitha and I, so everyone else should be in pairs. I think that’s everything.”

Rosie turned to Jon and Martin, who were waiting for her to finish the roll call. Jon raised an eyebrow.

Rosie rolled her eyes. “It helps to have some semblance of order here.”

Martin elbowed him, and Jon grumbled something Rosie didn’t understand.

And so, class 108 started their field trip.

-

“Elliot! Raphi! Cypress! Stop making videos! We need to move.” Jon called irritably, annoyed at the loud, _bad_ music that these kids were filming themselves dancing to. It made absolutely no sense to him.

He didn’t like it.

“But we’re doing Tik Toks, Mr. Sims!” Cypress called back.

“You-you’re doing what?” Jon asked confusedly.

“Tik Toks!” Elliot repeated, which did not help _at_ _all_.

“I-what’s a Tik Tok?” Jon ran his hands through his hair.

“Google-y-eyes it!” Elliot answered.

“Not funny.” He muttered, already getting a headache.

“It was, actually. His puns are great.” Raphi, who’s hearing was only secondary to Katie in the class rankings, (they made a list a few years back), heard him muttering and shouted to him without stopping the dance.

“Fine-what the hell is that?” Jon said, affronted as he began to Know what these “Tik Toks” were.

Insidious.

“That’s a Tik Tok Mr. Sims!” Cypress told him.

“Why are they dancing?”

“To get Tik Tok famous Mr. Sims!”

Jon was notably distressed, so he took out a cigarette and discretely lit it.

Tabitha whipped towards him. “Chris, is that a WEED?”

“W-what?”

“I’m calling the police!”

Christ, these kids were going to be the death of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All these comments have really helped me have motivation to write! Thank you so much. Please comment if you liked this chapter <3


	4. helen VS. (1) pencil sharpener

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Class 108 meets Helen and revelations are made on all sides of the chessboard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The typical TW's for the buried. Please, don't read if that creeps you out. This fic is going to be taking a darker turn while still having comedy because I'm an angsty thot.

“So, are we going to talk about it? Or….” Martin asked, looking at Jon with an expression he found he couldn’t decipher. The chatter of class 108 filled the comfortable silence that would usually occupy them on their journey.

“About what?” Jon avoided the question, turning his head back to check on the rest of the class. They’d originally formed two lines, headed by Jon at the front of both and Martin at the back. That had quickly fallen apart, and now they were more of a…blob, if anything.

Martin gave him a look. “I still don’t know how you’re smiting things here! I was about to ask you before we came across the school, but I decided it was best to wait until we calmed down a bit.”

“I-I killed it. I have the power, so I…so I killed it.” Jon turned his head away, facing decidedly frontwards.

“Yeah, but like, _how_? I’m-I’m sorry, I just don’t understand what _actually_ happened.” Martin gestured, confused and frustrated.

“I-It’s hard to explain. We’re coming upon a domain of the,” he grimaced, memories of dirt and choking and pressure momentarily overtaking him, “buried. I would really rather-”

The sound of knocking cut him off, and the squeak of hinges made everyone silent. Static crackled, and Katie, ever alert, got out her knife just before Rosie silently directed everyone to draw their “weapons.”

Jon didn’t know what a pencil sharpener would do to the distortion, but he didn’t want to find out.

Martin turned, confused at why the quiet had set in. “What-”

“Look down, Martin.”

“Oh.” He paused, startled. “Wait, _what_?”

“No one get to close!” He called, running his hands through his hair and sighing. “Hello, Helen.”

“Oh, Hello! In a better mood now, are we? Feeling safer now that you know how to kill? And you’ve got a whole gang with you! How exiting.” Her eyes seemed to light up, literally.

“YEET.” Tabitha threw a pencil sharpener at Helen, but her body seemed to twist and absorb it in impossible ways, making Tabitha’s head hurt. She shook it off. “Stay away from us! Begone thot!”

The rest of the class began to recite various vines in agreement.

“GET REKT!” “YOUR MOM’S A HOE!” “WALK AWAYAHAYAHAYHAY”

Martin facepalmed. Jon exhaled, forcing down the urge to scream.

Helen blinked, then her mouth pulled into an impossible grin. “You’ve got quite a crowd here, don’t you Archivist?”

Jon narrowed his eyes. “Touch them, and I will end you.”

Helen laughed and echoing laugh that hurt his ears. “Oh, Archivist. You really have grown! But no, I’m here for a chat. We are _friends_ , aren’t we archivist? Allies?”

He gritted his teeth. “Sure.”

Martin butted in. “Will you tell me how he did it?”

“Martin-” Jon protested.

“He just keeps on being all vague about it.” Martin complained. Helen seemed to light up.

“Oh goodness. You see what you’ve done to the poor boy, Jon? He’s coming to _me_ for answers.” She cackled, and Jon glowered.

“Shut up.” He said.

She giggled. “It is very satisfying though, isn’t it? Teasing the vague information? You can see why Elias got a kick out of it.”

“Elias?” Rosie questioned. “Isn’t that your boss?”

“That’s Eyeball Daddy’s sugar baby.” Tabitha told her. Rosie made an ‘ _ah’_ noise of recognition.

Helen cackled in delight. “ _That’s_ what you’re calling him? Oh, I like you.” She grinned, and Tabitha made an awkward face. What was she supposed to do, when she’d somehow won the favor of an eldritch door person?

 _Take it like a champ, I guess,_ she thought.

“Don’t.” Martin said protectively.

“Don’t what, love?” Helen asked, batting her eyelashes. (Literally, bats flew out of them).

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, stay away from them.” Helen pouted as Martin finished.

“But you aren’t any fun.” She said, her mouth curled downward in mock sadness.

“Look-just, just explain. Please.” Martin changed the subject, imploring her to alleviate his confusion. Jon glowered, but stayed decidedly still.

“Well,” she began, sporting a sharp grin, “We’re all here, Martin. The Stranger, the Buried, the Desolation, all of us. But the Eye still rules. All this fear is being performed for its benefit. And so, there are now exactly two roles available in this new world of ours: The Watcher, and the Watched. Subject, and object. Those who are feared, and those who are afraid. And John, well-he is part of the Eye. A very important part. And he’s able to, shall we say, shift its focus. Turn the one into the other. And for those of us whose very existence relies on being feared, well: to be turned into a victim destroys us utterly. And very, very painfully.”

A silence fell over everyone, before Cypress broke it.

“So, what _you’re_ saying is, the clap of his ass cheeks alerted the Eye?” He questioned, ginger curls bobbing as he tilted his head.

“Eyeball Daddy.” Raphi muttered.

Helen sported a look of delight, before cackling once again. She wiped a tear from her eye, and Rosie noted that it was the color of a highlighter. As it fell to the ground, the grass it came in contact with seemed to glow.

“You really are fun!” She declared gleefully. “Archivist, for someone so dour you certainly have lively company. Who are all of you then?” Her head twisted unnaturally in interest.

Elliot instinctively looked to Rosie, and shrugged when he met her eyes. Her own were narrowed in thought, before she shook her head. Helen grinned.

“Oh! A smart one. But no, I’m not a fae and you are, regrettably, protected by our Archivist.” She sighed dramatically.

Jon ran a hand through his hair. “She’s right.” Helen lit up. Really. She glowed.

Tabitha, ever curious, tilted her head. “I’m Tabitha. Are you with the smexy weed?”

“The smexy weed?” Helen asked, unapologetically amused, “whatever do you mean?”

Cal let out a short laugh and Katie rolled her eyes.

“The one that makes you high.” Elliot intoned (un)helpfully.

Martin groaned. “Wh-you know what. I’m just going to leave it.”

Helen was grinning now. “Yes! I’m with the Spiral, or the smexy weed, if you prefer!”

“Dope.” Elliot said, and Rosie raised an eyebrow.

“Wait a second,” Martin spoke, putting his hands up and turning to Jon, “why were you being so cryptid about it anyway? It doesn’t seem very complicated so I don’t know why you were being so coy about-”

“Because I’m _ashamed_ , Martin.” Jon cut him off, sighing and clenching his jaw.

“Ashamed?!”

“Yes! Ashamed of the fact that I just-destroyed the world and have been rewarded for it, the fact that-I can walk safe through all this horror I’ve created like a…fucking tourist, destroying whoever I please. The fact that I…enjoyed it, and…the fact that there are so many others that I want to revenge myself on!”

A pall of silence fell over them.

“Mr. Sims?” Cypress spoke.

Jon sighed. “Yes?”

“You said the fuck word.” Cypress informed him solemnly. The rest of the class nodded.

“That’s what you take from that?!” Jon said exasperatedly.

“Well, I mean, about what you said, I actually think you’re good on that front.” Cypress said hesitantly.

“What?”

“Yeah, I, I, I think we should go for it, get our murder on!” Cal exclaimed. They’d been silent nearly the entire time, naturally a shy person and even quieter when scared. Rosie raised an eyebrow, and Tabitha cheered, slinging an arm over their shoulders.

“Yes Cal! You go!” Tabitha high fived them.

“I agree with that.” Martin spoke, surprising Jon.

“How- _what_?” Jon said incredulously.

“Yes Martin!” Helen cheered, delighted by this new development.

“Th-this isn’t like it was before! We’re not talking about innocent bystanders in cafes here, John; these things are-th-they’re just evil, plain and simple, and right now they’re torturing and tormenting everyone! If you want to stop them and have the power to, then-then, then yeah, let’s do it, let’s go full Kill Bill!”

“I-I haven’t seen it.” Jon breathed in surprised.

“Oh, Martin, I am _so_ proud of you. Can I come too?” Helen asked ecstatically.

“No.” All of class 108 intoned.

Helen pouted. “So mean! I take it back, you’re no fun at all.”

“Coming from you, I would think that a good thing.” Rosie pointed out as Sydney nodded her agreement.

Helen sighed dramatically. “Fair, fair. I think I’ll take my leave, now. Don’t be a stranger!”

The creaking of the impossible, yellow door signals her exit, and Tabitha’s eyes widen.

“Guys!” she exclaims, face bright with a new, disastrous idea. Katie groans preemptively. “We should do a Tiktok with her!”

-

Regrettably, Tabitha’s idea was immediately shut down, and they soon continued on their path until Jon came to a stop, gritting his teeth.

“We’re here.”

He’d explained that they’d have to cross through multiple nightmares in order to reach the Panopticon, along with the statements he’d have to give. Though Sydney had wondered, she hadn’t asked if he knew the whereabouts of any of her classmates.

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to know.

No, that was a lie. Above anything else, Tabitha needed knowledge like water. She felt incomplete without it, whatever the cost of that knowledge would be. She would rather mourn a death then be ignorant and happy.

“Are you going to…?” Martin prompted, and Jon nodded, sighing.

“You should all leave while I-”

“No.” Rosie and Tabitha intoned at once, looking at each other surprised.

“Why not?” Martin questioned, wondering why anyone would want to have to listen to that.

“I…,” Rosie breathed, “you said this was about the Buried, right?”

“Y-yes.” Jon stammered, taken aback.

She sighed, tightening her side ponytail as a distraction. She often found playing with her hair gave her comfort.

“I-I can’t explain it. It’s not like I’ll sleep any easier without,” she gestured, “this.” She finished lamely.

Jon and Martin had a silent conversation, and though Jon was apprehensive, he sighed and gestured for her to sit down. He then turned to Tabitha, raising his eyebrow.

“What about you?”

“I need to know.” She said. “I-I can’t be in the dark in a world like this. I just-I need to _know_.”

Martin nodded, still doubtful. He gestured for the rest of the class, who were staring at the two girls like they were insane, to follow him over to (what appeared to be) a tree.

-

“-Better to keep him buried, neatly away.” Jon finished, and Rosie breathed out shakily. Jon looked at her, _really_ looked, and was confused to find that she looked almost sated.

He turned to Tabitha, and she seemed the same, though in a far more familiar way. He couldn’t quite place it, but something was…off.

“Are you both okay?” They nodded at his question, and Rosie helped Tabitha up.

“Yeah, I don’t know, I just…” Tabitha hesitated, “I feel…weird.”

“Weird?” He intoned, raising an eyebrow in concern. “Not scared?”

“No-I mean, yeah, I’m scared, but…” she shook her head. “Never mind, it’s not important. Hey, why is Katie stabbing a tree?”

-

As it turned out, the tree wasn’t as inanimate as they’d thought, and after being chased around for a bit, Martin got separated from the rest of the class. Not too far; he could still see them in the distance, and they appeared to have killed(?) the tree.

 _Where did Katie get an_ axe _?_

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, when a phone rang out of nowhere. He jumped, surprised.

It was coming from the ground.

He scowled, running his hand through his hair in annoyance, before a clanking noise got his attention from the right. A metal spade just seemed to…appear. Out of nowhere.

“A spade? _Really_? I mean, isn’t that a little insensitive?” He questioned irritably, sighing to himself.

“Right, so we’re doing this then.”

He began to dig until he reached the phone, yanking it up. He wasn’t surprised to find that there was no landline attaching it to the other caller.

“Hello?” He asked.

“ _Hello. Is that Martin_?”

He cursed inwardly.

“Don’t do that.” He warned.

“ _Not in the mood for games_?” Her voice was decidedly amused.

“You know I’m not.” He told her.

“ _No fun_.”

“Yes, well-look, I’m talking to Annabelle Cane, right?” He said, already knowing the answer to that question.

“ _You never gave me yours, why should I give you mine_?” Martin wondered if she was being this difficult on purpose. Knowing the Web, she probably was.

“Just-what do you want?” He asked tiredly, sighing.

“ _To help, of course!_ ”

“No. Thank you.” He declined sharply.

“Oh, _I think you’ll want to hear this. Marcy Schroeder isn’t dead_.”

“W-what?!” He exclaimed.

He didn’t know much about the girl, hadn’t even known her last name before he’d heard Annabelle say it, but he knew enough about what had happened when one of class 108’s first expeditions had wandered into the Web.

“ _That’s what I said! She’s been kept alive for a reason, though I don’t know what. I suspect it has something to do with the end.”_

“Where is she?”

“ _Now, now, that’s information you’ll have to pay for._ ”

“With what?”

“ _Good question. I’ll need to let the situation play out a bit first, and then I’ll know what you can pay me. I’ll keep in touch!_ ”

The line went dead.

“Well, shit.”

-

Rosie was quiet, Tabitha noticed, as she played with her hair languidly, posture tired and face blank with a subtle confusion and scowl. She walked over casually, trying to surprising her from behind, then frowned when Rosie didn’t react.

Tabitha tilted her head, then sat on the log beside her.

“You okay?” She asked, concern blindingly evident in her voice. Rosie didn’t respond.

They sat in a comfortable silence, looking out at the green tinted world in front of them. The watchful eye of the Panopticon looked back, and Tabitha gave it a challenging glare.

“Did I ever tell you about the sinkhole?” Rosie broke the quiet, not even glancing beside her.

“No, I don’t think you did.” Tabitha replied, and was silently disgusted with her own burning hunger for the information Rosie must have been referencing.

Rosie finally turned to Tabitha, chocolatey eyes dull. “When I was in middle school-it must have been fifth or sixth grade-I was caught in a sinkhole. I was buried for two days, under the earth. The Doctor’s didn’t know how I survived, but I did.”

Tabitha’s eyes were wide as Rosie continued her tale.

“The earth…moved. And not in the normal ways. It was unnatural. It tried to choke me, but I didn’t fight back. I just, let it. And I wasn’t afraid. I was,” she spoke sourly, “comforted, by the pressure. It felt like a hug, except, an important one. The earth was hugging me, Tabitha.”

Rosie’s gaze sharpened, and Tabitha’s hunger seemed to increase.

“And I let it. My parents are- _were_ ,” she grits, remembering the loss and silently wondering which nightmare they were trapped in, “amazing to me. But they weren’t tactile people by any stretch. And the earth…it was everywhere. And I think I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. A ‘medical marvel,’ that’s what the doctors said at least.

“I’ve never told anyone before, but you of all people I feel like I can tell things. You just,” she gestured absently, “have that feel about you.”

“Are you vibe checking me?” Tabitha joked, trying to ease the tension. Rosie smiled gratefully.

“I suppose I am.” Rosie responded, before growing solemn again. “I think…well, you can figure that out.” She looked to Tabitha, willing her to fill in the blanks.

“You think it was the Buried.” Tabitha reasoned, thinking to herself.

Rosie didn’t need to say anything; they both knew that what happened wasn’t possible by any other explanation.

“…we need to come up with a name for it.” Tabitha spoke to herself, and Rosie raised an eyebrow.

“I may not have been scared of being buried alive, but hearing those words terrifies me.” Rosie deadpanned.

“Aw, Ro, I’m flattered. You say the nicest things.” Tabitha cooed, and they both laughed quietly.

-

“…I have an idea.”

“Oh no.”

“The Great Bondage, the Choking Kink-”

“Okay, I’ve heard enough.”

“Hey! Don’t leave me here! What about the buddy system-”

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed, please, please, please leave a comment. This took me a long time and I'm very proud of this chapter. I threw in some hints at the overarching plot of the story, so if you have any theories, feel free to drop them down in the comments. I would love that lmao.


	5. zombie by the cranberries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin is jealous, and the Corpse Roots feel all too familiar to Cypress Evans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :WARNING: This chapter is a tone shift! Not for the whole fic, mind you. It just has a lot of warnings. These warnings are:
> 
> -past suicide attempts  
> -discussion of suicide  
> -depression  
> -discussion of death
> 
> To avoid these themes, stop reading at the line: "Cypress felt…strange. It was the only way to put it. The corpse roots were comforting, in their own way, and he looked on with a fondness that should have surprised him."

“Marcy’s alive?” Jon asked incredulously, eyes wide in surprise. Martin stood next to him, and their height different was apparently “adorable,” or so class 108 had said.

“That’s what Annabelle told me.” Martin replied, thinking back to the conversation and searching for details in the way that she’d sounded. He knew he was dealing with the Web though; Annabelle was nothing if not manipulative and direct in both her overt and subtle actions.

“On the phone.” Jon raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“That’s where we talked, yeah.” Martin confirmed, his tone shifting as he looked behind them to see Elliot and Raphi snogging while the others, (minus Riko and Katie), chanted “make out! Make out!” over and over again.

Nope, he was not getting into that.

“How? Why is Annabelle keeping her alive?” Jon asked, pointedly ignoring what was going on behind them.

“She’s not, or at least that’s what she said. She thinks it has something to do with the End.” Martin told him wearily.

“That’s lucky for us.” Jon said.

“Why?”

“We’re coming upon the Corpse Roots soon enough.”

Martin perked up. “Are we going to, you know, go kill bill?”

Jon hesitated.

“Jon.”

“I don’t know, Martin. It’s-Oliver Banks rules over this domain.” He explained, gesturing wildly.

“So?” Martin questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“I, I just don’t think…I don’t think he’s evil.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s a very benevolent ruler of a hellish fear prison.” Martin replied sarcastically.

“It’s just-he helped me. Wh-when I was,” Jon sighed, running his hand through his hair and taking a second to pause, “He woke me up.”

“Wow, what a hero.” Martin deadpanned.

“Martin?” Jon asked, amused and raising an eyebrow.

“What.” Martin said shortly. Jon made an amused noise, an all-too-knowing smile beginning to grow on his face.

“Yeah, alright; I know; I’m sorry.” Martin apologized quickly, sighing.

Jon was now smirking, voice full of amusement. “…Is there something you want to talk about?”

No, I’m-fine; it’s fine; everything’s fine! I’m sorry.” Martin said quickly, ducking away and speeding up his footsteps. Jon did the same to match him, a smug grin on his face.

“Martin…” His expression was like the cat getting the cream.

“I said it’s fine.” Martin snapped quickly.

“Are you jealous?” Jon questioned, oh so audibly smug.

“Yeah, Martin, are you jealous?” Raphi yelled, pulling away quickly before snogging Elliot once again.”

“Oooh…” The class’s eyes lit up, their voices in unison, getting higher in pitch as their call of smugness continued. Turning away from the couple, they advanced towards the two men who led the head of their group. Cal clapped politely at Elliot and Raphi as they broke away to join the rest of his peers in taunting Martin.

“Just-just, hey, why is everyone ganging up on me!” Martin cried indignantly. Elliot smirked, before starting a chant.

“Mr. Sims and Martin, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love-” Elliot grinned as he spoke, before Cal cut him off quietly.

“-Then comes marriage-”

“Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!” Tabitha finished, grinning with a smug glee.

-

“Don’t they have anything better to do then gossip about our teacher’s love life?” Riko scoffed, trailing behind the rest of the class with Katie at her right.

“…probably not.” Katie answered dully, looking on with something akin to judgmental fondness, as much as that could be expressed on someone who was as reigned in as her.

“…that’s fair.”

-

“I told you not to Know things about me!” Martin pointed at Jon, telling him off.

Jon laughed. “I really didn’t have to.”

“I-y-you-good. ‘Cause I’m definitely not.” Martin said stubbornly, looking ahead in defiance.

“Sure.” “Pfft, that’s such a lie-” “Are you scared he’s gonna steal yo’ man?” “PUT A RING ON IT MARTO!”

“Alright!” Jon agreed smugly, obviously taunting Martin.

“Look, I’m fine, alright?” Martin told him forcefully.

“You said.” Jon agreed, nodding with a knowing smirk.

“Yes, I did! And e-and even if I was jealous, I would be perfectly justified anyway, so!” Martin explained quickly, refusing to look Jon in the eye.

Class 108 was snickering, and Martin decidedly didn’t comment on that.

 _Respect your elders_! he wanted to tell them. But he couldn’t control them, no matter how much he wanted to. They were teens.

 _Teens_.

He sighed inwardly, mentally banging his head against a wall.

“But you’re not.” The fact that Jon’s amusement was almost tangible is one that Martin loathed.

“No! I’m fine.” Martin exclaimed.

“Hey, give him a break. I say murder is a go.” Elliot coos, and Cal laughs quietly behind him.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Rosie said, laughing.

“Riko agrees with me. Hey! Riko! You agree, don’t you?” Elliot raised his voice, gaining Riko’s attention.

“Oh, I’m not getting involved.” She told him, raising her eyebrow.

“Pfft, boring.” He said, sighing dramatically.

“Tch.”

“Look. Martin, I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m not going to kill a man just because you’re jealous.” Jon and Martin continued to argue, both attempting, (and failing), to tune out class 108’s jeers.

“Why not?!”

Beat.

Martin deflated. “Yeah. Yeah, I know, I know, I know.” He sighed, before pausing. “Please?”

Jon laughed and Martin’s lip quirked upwards.

“Let’s go apeshit! Let’s go fucking apeshit!” Tabitha screeched, pumping her fist into the air.

“Language.” Jon chastised, heart not in it.

Tabitha stuck her tongue out.

-

Cypress felt…strange. It was the only way to put it. The corpse roots were comforting, in their own way, and he looked on with a fondness that should have surprised him.

It didn’t.

He knew what the End was now, but he still thought of it as death more than anything else. And he found peace in that.

Or maybe it was the depression talking.

He didn’t really care.

But he was pulled in, interested and feeling an odd, almost tugging need to do _something_. He had no idea what that something was, but he knew he’d find out soon.

“-know, but I just, I need to. I can be ignorant when all of this is going on!” Tabitha said loudly, surprising Cypress out of his reverie. He turned, and saw that she was talking to Mr. Sims.

“Statements…Tabitha, they change you. I’m not sure-”

Ah, so this was what they were arguing over. Cypress had been worried too. Tabitha’s hunger for knowledge was not knew, but the desperation to get it certainly way.

Or maybe not. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it had always been there it to an extent.

“Please,” she begged, voice rising, “I just- _I need to know_. This world, it’s…it’s terrible. I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

“You really think this will change anything?” Riko shot back acerbically.

“No, but it’ll make me feel better, so piss off.” Tabitha snapped, then sighed. “Sorry Riko.” She apologized.

Riko rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

Jon sighed. “Fine. Okay. You can listen.” Martin raised an eyebrow, and he shook his head. Tabitha cheered.

Cypress stepped closer. “I,” he paused, looking around before finalizing his thoughts, “I want to listen too.”

Jon was once again taken aback. “Why?” he said, incredulous.

Cypress shrugged. “I don’t know. I just,” he sighed, “I have my reasons, okay?”

Jon nodded slowly, sighing and motioning Martin to leave with the rest of the class, who looked on concernedly.

He waited a moment before he furrowed his brows and talked once again, looking up at the two students. “Once I start, I can’t stop. But if you get uncomfortable, at all, please leave. I won’t think worse of you or take offense. Agreed?”

Tabitha and Cypress nodded, but they both knew they’d stay, no matter how horrible it was. Jon sighed, and began the statement.

_Report to prevent future deaths. This report is being sent to: The Great Eye that watches all who linger in terror and gorges itself on the sufferings of those under its unrelenting, stuporous gaze. And its Archive, which draws knowledge of this suffering unto itself._

_One: Coroner._

_I am Oliver Banks, sometimes known as Antonio Blake or Dr Thomas Pritchard. I serve The Coming End That Waits for All and Will Not Be Ignored._

_Two: Coroner’s legal powers._

_I make this report under no authority; no regulation or act of law save the hollow power and grim responsibility given me by the Termination of All Life. With it, I may see and spread the hidden veins of destiny that wrap us close and draw us through the empty, yearning parody of meaning that we call life, knowing at all stages that the last and final point of this journey is a blank and futile end._

_I have no power to stop it, and even if I did, I would not do so. For to rob a soul of death is as torturous as its inevitable coming._

_Three: Investigation and inquest._

_On the first and last day of the age of the Beholding, I begin my vigil into the story of Cypress Evans.”_

Cypress and Tabitha looked up, eyes wide.

“What?” They said in unison, before refocusing once again.

 _He was about thirteen when it happened. Or, rather,_ he _happened. The tendrils of the lonely had clung to him, but that is not the focus of my tale. No, I suppose I’ll be blunt._

_Cypress Evans killed himself._

Cypress grit his teeth, and Jon’s eyes were wide. Tabitha tried to get up, despite her curiosity, in order to preserve his privacy, but felt tied down to the roots like a string.

Cypress did the same, not wanting to remember the tale that was spilling from Jon’s mouth.

_It wasn’t dramatic. He didn’t write a note, but in the days before his first ending he gave many gifts to those he cared about. Gifts that were his belongings._

_He even wrote a small will, though it wasn’t as if it was anything official. He was thirteen; he didn’t have much property of his own._

_But that is not the important part. What is important, is that he succeeded. Cypress Evans was officially dead for about five hours. No one found out._

Tabitha inhaled quickly, and this was not unnoticed by Cypress, who looked down in shame. She took his hand and gripped it while she maneuvered him to rest next to her, huddled into a ball while he shook.

_Because he woke up._

Her eyes widened once again, glancing at him in shock.

_His arm was knitted back together by some sort of thin, clear thread. And he was alive._

_He didn’t tell a soul._

_It was about two months later when he tried again, a different method this time. He tried pills. So many pills. A lot of pills._

_And so, Cypress Evans died for the seemingly second time. And for the seemingly second time, he came back._

He looked away. Tabitha could guess that he thought it was a failure on his part, but she was glad that it hadn’t worked.

And worried for him.

How had she not known? Did she not pay enough attention?

She bit her lip in thought.

_He is one of many thousands, neither remarkable nor unique in his background and goals. He has spent the last three of those years acutely aware of his seemingly immortal state of being and in constant dismay over it. The thing was, Cypress never feared death._

_He craved it._

_And it was being denied from him, one time, then two, then three, then four, then five, and so it goes on. At some point, it became recreational, to not be anything at all. To end, even if temporarily._

Cypress clenched his fist, and Tabitha squeezed his other hand.

_Do not worry, Cypress. I’m certain you’re listening to this, though I’m not sure why I’m aware of that face. That thought was not my own, and I’m acutely aware of a spider crawling down my arm, so I can only assume one of the Web’s ilk is involved with this. Never the matter, I wanted to tell you this. No matter how immortal you may think you are, all things end, even if it takes a very, very long time._

_You can be reassured that one day, you will die._

Tabitha hated the look of relief that washed over him, but shivered at the thought of being manipulated. The Web, above all others, irked her, ever since her experience with Marcy.

_Back to my account._

_Cypress, now sixteen years of age, if not for the odd situation regarding class 108, I believe he would’ve found himself within my domain, traveling slowly and unremittingly along the length of the stretching Corpse Routes._

_And to his delight, eventually ending._

_The earliest he can remember being certain he was about to die was when, at the age of six, due to allergies, he passed out. It was from a spider bite. Not a poisonous one, mind you. It was just his allergies, putting him in the hospital for a few hours._

_The oddest thing though, was that he didn’t mind. Cypress had already accepted the inevitability of death, with his father passing away from cancer about two years prior to the bite. He found it reassuring, relaxing even._

_The point was, Cypress was comforted by death._

_And so it continued for the next three years of his life. He would die on the weekends, crave the release of not existing as a reward for doing so during the week. He always came back, groggily and painfully._

_He never liked that part._

_Five: Coroner’s concerns._

_The matters of concern are as follows:_

  1. _a) Cypress Evans was affected by the Web at some point during his life. I do not know what the reason for that is, but it’s a concern nonetheless. I do not know why Cypress does not walk the corpse roots, just as I do not know why class 108 seems to have been spared from the domains. I, again, suspect the Web to have something to do with this._
  2. _b) This place is a limit on the fear that can be generated from them, as their pool is necessarily finite and ultimately, however slowly, it will be exhausted._



_To be offset, this consideration will require the acquisition of victims from other domains as replacements, potentially inciting…bad feeling between those domains._

  1. _c) A metaphysical quirk of this new reality’s divorce from the traditional concept of time, and - one for which I have no further explanation, means that I do not believe new humans are being created or born._



_The souls trapped within this transformed world are the only ones who will ever be here, and the presence of the Termination of All requires that-ultimately, that is what will happen._

_However slowly, the domains of death will be removing sufferers from a closed system. However many thousands of years may be experienced in time, eventually this world will be left barren and empty._

  1. _d) When this happens, the Great Powers themselves will also fade and die, withering away into nothingness and releasing this reality from their grip._



_I… do not know how I feel about this._

_Six: Actions that should be taken._

_None. Even if such a fate could be avoided, as it comes closer and the other Entities grow in their awareness of their own end, the grotesque ripples of their own impossible panic shall glut and feed my master, gorging it to the point where-perhaps it will even surpass the Watcher in prominence._

_Barring that, I have no desire to be destroyed by other Avatars who are upset at what they regard as “stealing” human souls to walk the Corpse Routes. If it becomes necessary to intervene at some point regarding whatever web the weaver is puppeting, I will do so._

_The others may take what actions they wish; they may plot and plan and tear themselves apart in an attempt to separate from the fate that they know they cannot escape, but they will fail. The currents of perception and reality may twist in whatever shapes they want, but none of them can ever render things truly eternal._

_And I shall help, ushering on this final, blank emptiness. Perhaps once it might have horrified me, or given me some sense of pursuing the ultimate release of the world that you have damned._

_But I am too much of my Patron now, and my feelings cannot help but reflect the shadows of… anticipation that lurk within the grave. The End does not fear its own cessation, for it is the certainty and promise of all life, however strange, that it will one day finish, and that includes its own stark existence._

_It shall be the last, and when the universe is silent and still forever, it shall, perhaps, in that impossible moment before it vanishes, finally be satisfied._

_Seven: Your response._

_Please, Jon, do not interpret this report as a plea for mercy or a call to action. I would have offered it willingly, of course, but to do so is no longer an option._

_I only ask that you be wary. I do not know what, but I believe the Web is up to something. Bar that, I believe it to be controlling even you in a world where you wear the crown._

_Finally, Cypress, know this. All things end, and every step you take, whatever direction you may choose, only brings you closer to it._

_I’m sure that brings you comfort._

_Report ends._

Jon looked up, eyes widening as he regained control.

Cypress bolted.

-

“What the fuck happened?” Riko asked, sitting down across from Tabitha, gesturing to Cypress, who was in a clearing alone. Cal was sitting next to him but they didn’t appear to be talking.

Tabitha shook her head mutely, sighing. “It’s-I’m not going to intrude on his privacy. It was just-it was just intense.” She gestured.

Riko shrugged. “He isn’t dead. It’ll be fine.”

Tabitha knew that Riko was trying to comfort her, but those words made her bark out a bitter laugh.

Riko raised an eyebrow.

Tabitha sighed. “Look, basically the statement Mr. Sims gave was about Cypress, and for some reason Cypress and I couldn’t leave.”

“Wait, like you were tied down?” Riko asked incredulously.

“No, like…ugh. I don’t know how to put it. Yes, like we were tied down, but it was…more than that.”

“Oh, that’s revealing.” Riko said sarcastically.

“Hm.” Tabitha agreed, before looking behind her to see Jon approaching. He walked up the green hill before sighing, and running his hand through his hair.

 _He does that a lot,_ Tabitha thought absently.

“May I speak to you in private?” Jon asked Tabitha, who nodded. Riko didn’t budge, and raised an eyebrow.

“I was here first.”

Tabitha snickered. “Fair.”

Jon followed her until they came to a spot next to a tree, leaves waxy and tinted with the green light of the sky.

“So,” Jon awkwardly began, “I think it would be best if you didn’t discuss Cypress’…condition with anyone else. I know you wouldn’t,” he added, “I just wanted to make sure.”

Tabitha nodded. “No, totally, I get it.”

Jon nodded gratefully. “Do you think he’d benefit from talking to Martin or I?”

Tabitha tilted her head in thought. “Not really. He seems like the kind of person to wear his heart on his sleeve, but…I don’t think he likes to be vulnerable with people. Cal seems to have it covered already though.” She pointed across the clearing to where Cal and Cypress were silently sitting side by side against the trunk of a thick hickory tree.

God, she _hoped_ it was a hickory tree. While watching her friends get chased around by a living tree-monster thing was funny, it was also terrifying.

“That checks out. Well, that’s all I wanted to speak with you about.” His eyes seemed to glaze over familiarly, though Tabitha couldn’t quite place where she’d seen that look.

Tabitha nodded warily as he got up and walked towards Martin, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked really hard on this one so I hope you enjoy! Please, please, please comment if you liked it because you guys are honestly what keeps me writing :D
> 
> Also! Good news. I’m having Jon’s students make additions to the first list and would like some suggestions of things! The first list is right on the first chapter. Please comment if you have any ideas :D


	6. jonah magnus is a regency little bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sydney ponders. The class finds out Marcy is alive. Cypress and Tabitha are cursed, and Jon is (as usual) horrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lighter note since the last one was very heavy. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> cw:  
> Non-explicit eye trauma is discussed since, ya know, jonahlias magchard.  
> also, they sing the "nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I think I'll go eat worms" which is kinda,,,freaky

If Sydney was anything other than cautious, she would consider herself observant. Partially because of the caution, she knew, but she chose to separate those traits when thinking about herself. It was for this reason that she began to notice Tabitha changing.

It was the little things, really. The way her hunger for knowledge had now manifested as ferocity. She didn’t like that look on Tabitha, who was usually so carefree.

 _Well_ , Syndey thought, _maybe not carefree as much as good as putting on a persona._

It didn’t come out often, but what Sydney was really the most wary of was the statements. Rosie hadn’t told her about why she’d wanted to listen in on the Buried statement but Sydney had decided to mind her own business. It wasn’t as if it was a danger.

Or was it?

If it was, she decided, she’d deal with it when the time came.

“Lost in thought?” Katie came up behind her, raising an eyebrow while maintaining her token blank expression. Sydney and Katie had always got on fine, but Katie didn’t really seek _anyone_ out for conversation. Except for Eva.

She didn't think about Eva.

Sydney gave a shrug in response, and Katie narrowed her eyes. “You’ve noticed too.” It was a statement, not a question, and Sydney nodded warily.

“It’s hard not to. Do you think we should say anything?” Sydney asked her. Katie shook her head.

“No.” She answered shortly.

Sydney raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Katie shrugged, and her eyes seemed to be glassy for a few seconds before she sighed. “I just wanted to check. Anyway, Martin and Mr. Sims are calling the rest of the class. Apparently, they want to say a few things before we continue.”

They hadn’t been resting for long, but time didn’t truly exist in this new world, Sydney knew. She nodded Mutely, and followed Katie’s trace.

-

“Marcy’s what?!” Tabitha shrieked, eyes wide. Her stomach felt loopy, and her vision began to blur in a mix of relief and fear. All she could think off was Marcy’s limp body being puppetted by spiderwebs, the scent of blood and the sound of her own laughter. She shivered, hands curling around herself.

Rosie put her hand on Tabitha’s shoulder to steady her, applying pressure just forceful enough to ground her without being painful. Tabitha seemed to steady some, digging her nails into her palm to focus.

“How…how do you know this?” Cal asked quietly. They’re eyes were fearful, but a dullness had seemed to set in that made Sydney uneasy. Apathy wasn’t good, even if it hurt less. She just wanted everyone to be okay.

“Annabelle Cane.” Martin answered, beginning to explain who she was. Sydney tuned him out, looking up to the sky and scowling at the Eye. The others could joke, and hell, she did too, but she loathed it with a passion.

Not just because it was evil, enjoying their suffering, but because it was in the _sky_. She’d always loved the sky, more than most things really, and the Eye had the audacity to take up so much space.

“So, she’s a spider lady, basically.” Elliot simplified, and Sydney thanked him inwardly for explaining since she’d tuned out what Martin had said.

Tabitha looked pale, but she nodded slowly, eyes filled with terror. Sydney felt for her.

Jon spoke up, looking around at the class and meeting all their eyes. “It’s complicated. We don’t know how she’s alive, because she was dead and Oliver didn’t bring her back. He’d have no reason to. He suspects the Web is involved, but Annabelle said she didn’t know what was going on.”

“That could very easily be a lie.” Rosie mused, biting her lip in focus.

Jon nodded. “Hence why I’m telling you all to keep your guard up. There’s obviously something going on here and I don’t trust it one bit.”

There was a brief silence, before the smell of heat wafted into Riko’s nose.

“Is that…fire?” She said, trying to get a glimpse of where the smell was coming from. Jon’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“You can smell that?” He asked incredulously.

She raised an eyebrow. “What, you can’t?”

The rest of the class warily shook their heads. Jon sighed.

“We are near the domain of the Desolation…” he mused aloud, and Tabitha seemed to perk up in surprise. Sydney eyed her warily, and she glanced over to Katie who seemed to have a similar expression of reproach.

Riko shrugged, but something glinted in her eyes. “That’s the burning one, right?”

“Destruction, pain and fire.” Martin listed, thinking to himself. Jon nodded, gesturing to him in agreement. Riko narrowed her eyes and her face fell into an expression Sydney couldn’t decipher.

Raphi chimed in with a helpful- “those are the guys who like wax play, right?”

Jon choked, coughing, and Martin patted him on the back.

“Mhm!” Tabitha said, seemingly unfazed and coming back to herself. Sydney was glad to see the color return to her face.

“That’s hot.” Elliot said, grinning at his pun and giving finger guns at Raphi. Rosie groaned, and Raphi snickered. Katie’s face was notably blank, but Riko’s had raised an eyebrow incredulously, before shaking her head in an attempt to forget about Elliot’s terrible joke.

“Hi hot, I’m dad.” Jon deadpanned, turning to Raphi, and Martin’s eyebrows raised comically.

Tabitha snorted, and the rest of the class grinned, (minus Katie, who had never smiled in her entire life, or so Tabitha said).

“Is Martin mom then?” Sydney joked sarcastically. Tabitha’s eyes lit up, and Sydney groaned, already regretting her jest.

“…Tabitha?” She asked warily.

Tabitha just batted her eyelashes, and didn’t say a word. Rosie looked amused, but chose not to comment, and Jon cleared his throat.

“Anyway, we’re going to be…smiting this avatar.”

The class began to cheer.

“PENUT MURDER JELLY TIME!” “LET’S GET THIS BREAD!” “CEASLESS WATCHER, TURN YOUR GAYS UPON THAT WRETCHED THING!” “Gaze?” “Gays” “MURDER! MURDER! MURDER!”

The class began to chant, and Jon began to get a headache.

-

On the walk to the Desolation’s domain, the kids pestered Jon with questions.

“Where’d you get those scars?” Tabitha asked, grabbing his arm and wobbling it a bit. He rolled his eyes, and sighed.

“Which one?” He raised an eyebrow dully.

Tabitha wasn’t fazed. “The circles.”

“…Worms.” He said, grimacing. Martin had the same expression on his face.

“Worms?” Riko said incredulously.

“What kind?” Tabitha asked, before he could answer Riko’s inquiry.

“The kind that hate me.” Jon said simply, and Cal laughed softly.

The class’ eyes widened, and they all looked around, silently communicating as if a hive mind. Martin and Jon shared an apprehensive glance.

It was unnervingly silent.

They continued their walk in silence for the next few minutes, but then Cypress started to hum. It was a childish toon, but Martin could recognize that he’d heard it before.

The rest of the class began to hum, before Tabitha started to sing.

“Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I think I’ll go eat worms.”

Martin’s eyes widened comically and Jon choked. Christ, what had he gotten into?

“What-”

“Big fat juicy ones-” Elliot continued.

“Eensie weensy squeensy ones-” Sydney chimed in lightly.

“See how they wiggle and squirm!-” Raphi sang, grinning.

“Down goes the first one, down goes the second one. Oh how they wiggle and squirm! Up comes the first one, up comes the second one. Oh how they wiggle and squirm!” The class now sang in unison, privy to Jon and Martin’s growing horror at the situation.

“Wait a second now-” Martin started, but Raphi cut him off with a grin.

“I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice, and throw the skins away!” He jeered, singing loudly.

Jon facepalmed, horrified and uncomfortable at how the class seemed to work as a hive mind just to taunt them.

The class once again began to sing in unison.

“Nobody knows how fat I grow on worms three times a day! Nobody likes me, everybody hates me I think I'll go eat worms! Big fat juicy ones, eensie weensy squeensy ones; see how they wiggle and squirm!” They were a cacophony of voices mixing horribly against Jon’s ear.

He was reminded of Grifter’s bone, and decided that their music couldn’t possibly be any worse than this.

Martin was still open mouthed, and Jon had his head in his hands.

“That was so smexy!” Tabitha said dreamily, referring to the [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JgmGCvYi1A). Martin balked.

“No-no, wha-okay, you know what, lets keep walking, yeah?” Martin grabbed Jon’s hand and began to speed-walk ahead, tugging him along. Class 108 snickered.

-

“Hey, can your boss hear us right now?” Cypress asked, and Jon raised an eyebrow.

“I suppose so. Why?” Jon answer cautiously, not liking where this was going. Cypress grinned, his teeth glinting in the green light of the eye.

He turned around and started pointing at the coward in the tower. “HEY! YOU! PISS BITCH! EYEBALL DADDY’S SUGAR BABY LITTLE BITCH VOYEUR! I BET YOU’RE GAY!”

“Cypress, aren’t you gay?” Cal asked, trying to told back his laughter.

“That’s not important. What is important is that-,” Cypress stopped, pausing to think before turning to Jon, “what’s your boss’ name?”

“Jonah Magnus, but I really do not think you-”

“JONAH MAGNUS? MORE LIKE JONAH MAGNET, BECAUSE YOU REPEL ALL THE POSITIVE PEOPLE WHEN THEY SEE YOUR AWFUL FACE YOU UGLY REGENCY LOOKING ASS BITCH!” Tabitha shrieked, going to join Cypress in his epic pursuit of victory.

“How-how did you know he was from the regency era?” Martin asked, confused.

“He just gave me those vibes, ya know?” Tabitha asked, though Sydney sensed that she was a little off-put at where she’d gotten that information.

“…those vibes?” Jon deadpanned, noticeably off-put as well.

“Mhm. What do you mean he was from the regency era though?” Tabitha questioned, tilting her head curiously.

Jon sighed, and Rosie noted in her head that this was the eighty-first time he’d sighed in response to Tabitha’s questions. Typical.

“He’s a body snatcher-” Jon started, only to be interrupted by Raphi.

“Like Koh?” he asked, and Riko snickered

“Who-you know what, never mind. Sure. He basically put his eyeballs in other people’s sockets to steal their bodies and continue running the institute.” Jon explained, and a look of mild horror crossed his face as Cypress began to grin.

“So what you’re saying,” Cypress began, and Cal groaned, putting his head in his hands, “is that he put his balls in other people’s holes?”

Tabitha keeled over, snickering, and Riko flipped him off. Katie, who was as stoic as ever, sighed, but Cal could tell she looked amused.

Jon and Martin wore twin looks of horror in response to Cypress’…interesting sense of humor.

They knew it would not be the last time.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment if you enjoyed, and as always, take care of yourselves! I was so grateful to those who shared those theories last time and I really did enjoy them. They feed me.


	7. jude perry vs. two teenagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sydney and Cypress reminisce while Tabitha, Riko, Jon and Martin enter the fire escape to end Jude Perry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warnings:  
> -canon typical smiting  
> -fire  
> -mention of burning houses down  
> -mention of someone burning bugs to death

“Don’t touch that!” Klaus had yelled, stumbling towards Riko with grime on his face. Riko had held a bug in her hands, a beetle, and Klaus had always been fond of those. But she had just looked so angry, Sydney thought, and she didn’t want to intervene. She had been content to continue to climb the tree, observing from afar.

She didn’t know when the small fire had started, or how it had, but it did, and then the beetle was burnt. There was a look of satisfaction on Riko’s face that Sydney remembers she’d found off-putting at the time. Klaus had been angry, but he’d stomped away, leaving Riko alone with the ashes of the beetle. A lighter rested on the ground when they were finally called inside for their next class.

Sydney had never liked that look on Riko, but she’d be lying if she said it was the first time she’d seen it. That, though, was to her knowledge the very first.

“Syd?” Cypress tapped her shoulder, snapping her out of her reverie. Sydney started, leaping back before settling down again.

“Ah, sorry. I’m always a bit jumpy these days.” She said, rubbing her neck sheepishly before she cocked her head to the side in question. “Did you need something?”

“Not really, no, you just looked…” he gestured, trying to find a word, “out of it. You good?”

She nodded sparsely, looking over to the burning building in front of them in discomfort. The scene was an ashy sky full of a sadistic energy. There was screaming, she knew, though these days it didn’t bother her as much as it should’ve. The rest of the class, spare Tabitha and Riko, who had decided to go inside the burning building, were chatting amongst themselves. Well, except for Katie, who was characteristically silent. Sydney had chosen to stray a bit from the group, needing some space to think.

“Just…memories.” She said, and he seemed to understand. Cypress didn’t ask for her to specify; that was something she liked about him, he knew when to not pry.

After a short silence, she spoke again. “Do you remember how Riko used to burn Klaus’ bugs?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. I always thought she was crazy since it didn’t really matter.” He shrugged, reminiscing.

“What?” Sydney looked up to him in question.

“Well, they were all gonna die at some point; I didn’t see the reason she was killing them off early.”

Sydney thought to herself, twisting one of her blonde braids that she’d done a few minutes before they entered the Desolation’s domain. “Huh, I’ve never thought of it that way. I guess you’re right, though.”

Cypress grinned. “I’m _always_ right.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” She teased, before pausing. She had been meaning to ask him something that had been on her mind recently. “Do you think there’s…something off with Tabitha?”

Cypress tensed, barely, but it was still noticeable. “About the whole, ya know, listening in on statements thing?”

“Yeah. I just…” she trailed off.

There was a pause of silence, before Cypress spoke again. “Have you talked with anyone else about it?”

“Katie, but no one other than that. I think that Mr. Sims noticed, but I don’t know why he isn’t saying anything.” She shrugged lamely.

“Do you think…” he shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Hm?” she questioned, looking to him curiously.

“Do you think she’s becoming like…like him?” Cypress said, finally.

Sydney thought on it and shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you think it really matters?”

Cypress pondered. “In what way?”

“I mean, she’ll still be Tabitha even if she’s not…human. Or whatever.”

Cypress thought to himself. “You know, you may be right. I wonder how Riko and Tabitha are doing right now.”

-

“FUCK!” Tabitha screeched as she tripped over her untied shoelaces into some fire. She got out quickly enough that she didn’t burn terribly; it was barely even visible, but it still hurt.

“That’s what you get for coming into a burning building.” Riko shrugged, dusting her off. She seemed to be trying to play it cool, but there was a haunted look in her eyes. Tabitha was about to ask before deciding it would be best to leave it alone, however much it pained her.

“Hypocrite.” She grumbled.

“Sure.” Riko said, shrugging. “It’s just fire, you know.”

“Isn’t that enough?” Tabitha snorted, moving around another burning pillar of fallen wood.

“If it kills you, yeah. But pain is just pain.” Riko told her as she tugged at her turtleneck. That same odd expression came over her once again, before Tabitha broke it up as she spoke once more.

“Oooh, look at me, I’m Riko and I’m so tough! Pain is just-”

“Oh, shove it.”

-

“Fine. Vomit your horrors.” Martin said, before turning to the two students hesitantly. “And you’re sure about this? It can get graphic…”

When he said that last sentence, it almost seemed dull, and his eyes took on the same dullness as well. Tabitha had noticed that, but she’d decided to wait for more information to bring it up.

They both nodded, and Riko pushed her glasses up.

“We’ll be fine.” She said, looking him dead in the eye in a silent dare to try to stop them. Tabitha hadn’t the same aggression, but she didn’t exactly seem keen to leave either. Martin sighed, hesitating before walking away into another part of the flaming building.

-

“Limping and desperate, she turns to see her furniture in flames, the bookshelves full of memories that she can’t quite place but knows are precious to her curl and float away as ash. The photos on the wall of her family-”

Rikk was tense, a haunted look coming onto her eyes as she picked at her turtleneck. Tabitha noted this absently, but didn’t comment.

The two listened intently as he droned on, but then Riko seemed to snap up out of nowhere. Tabitha would’ve liked to turn to her questioningly, but she was so enraptured in the tale that she didn’t.

Static began to rise, and still Tabitha didn’t seem to make any note, but Riko certainly did. She turned, watching Martin avoid the flames and shout for them.

“Jon! Tabitha! Riko!” he called, and Riko started trying to shake Tabitha, who was still focused on Jon’s statement.

“-whose faces seem indistinct but she knows that-” Jon continued, and Tabitha still wasn’t reacting as Riko tried to shake her back to herself.

The static rose in volume. “Jon!” Martin called once more, trying to get his attention, now standing right new to Tabitha.

Riko and Martin exchanged looks of worry.

“-she loves, begin to blacken as the glass-” He still wasn’t stopping, and Martin grit his teeth, before coughing as he inhaled thick smoke.

“Come on Jon!” He began to shake the Archive harshly, and Riko tried to pinch Tabitha. Her leg caught on some fire but she paid it no mind, setting it out calmly as she continued to yell in Tabitha’s face.

“You _idiot_! Snap out of it!” she yelled, now pulling Tabitha’s hair in an attempt to get her free from whatever kept her listening. Tabitha was still unaware, enraptured by the Archive’s words.

“Jon, come on! Come back!” Martin yelled, shaking him even more frantically.

“-this devouring Desolation, and she-”

Then Martin slapped him, and Jon was sent stumbling before he looked up to Martin, whose eyes were wide, and body panting.

“Jon, she’s here!”

Tabitha groggily came back to herself since the statement had passed. She looked up, eyebrows furrowed.

“What’s going-”

A thunder like crackling noise engulfed their ears, and they heard a laughing noise. Jon rose up, stepping in front of Martin and the two students.

“Hello, Jude.”

-

The woman was short, and her expression was that of sadistic amusement. That was the first thing Riko noticed. Tabitha too, watched her, brows still furrowed as the grogginess seemed to dissipate.

“Fancy seeing you both here.” She spoke sarcastically. “To what, exactly, do I owe the pleasure-the honor-of being graced by the great and powerful Archivist, harbinger of this new world and his…valet? And not just that, two children? Archivist, are they gifts? Your really didn’t have to-”

“Stop. Naturally, we came to see you.” Jon said, and his tone was nearly conversational in its predatory nature.

“Why stop! I am amused. Though one of you more than the other.” She made her way over to Riko, who didn’t even flinch.

“Get away from her, or I will make you.” Jon threatened.

“No need! I won’t hurt her.” Jude lied, taking her wrist and burning it. Riko didn’t flinch as her flesh singed, and instead looked bored and annoyed.

“That was rude.” Riko said, yanking her hand away.

“I will smite you where you stand if you-”

“She really is interesting, this one. Say, where did you get those burns? They’re quite nice.” Jude asked, still focused on Riko.

“Stop it, just. Shut up!” Martin said, getting in between them. Jude scowled.

“Mr. Blackwood, it’s fine.” Riko said, coming out from behind him and approaching Jude. She narrowed her eyes.

“Was it you?” She asked, after a short pause. Jude grinned wickedly.

“Was what me?” she asked.

“My house burned down and it felt like this place does. Was it you?”

“Houses burn. Doesn’t need to be supernatural.” Jude answered conversationally, avoiding the question.

“But it was.” Riko said firmly. “So, I’m asking, was it you?”

Jude looked her up and down. “You seem familiar, but I’ve burned a lot of houses and killed a lot of people. It hardly matters to me.”

Riko nodded, examining her wrist and seemingly not noticing her calf being burned by a flame that had started it. She absently looked down after a few seconds and removed her leg from it.

“Good enough for me. You can kill her now, Mr. Sims.” Riko said, tiling her head. Her eyes gleamed with something akin to malice that Tabitha chose to not acknowledge.

Jude’s eyes widened in fear, and then anger. She grit her teeth, preparing to speak when Jon beat her to it.

“Not yet. Jude, I’m curious, did you know what you were doing?” Jon asked, and an odd sheen of dark amusement fell on his face. The face of a predator.

Martin and Tabitha coughed, smoke surrounding them. Riko seemed unaffected.

“Know about what?” Jude asked, raising an eyebrow boredly, putting on a brave face.

“That marking me would lead to this.”

“No. I had no idea.” She said, hesitating.

“So why did you do it?” Jon asked, putting only a slight bit of compulsion into his voice.

“Why d’you think? Because I wanted to hurt you.,” Martin coughed, “Because you were annoying and I didn’t like you, so I hurt you.”

Jon hummed.

“You’re an asshole.” Tabitha concluded. Riko stayed silent.

Jude grinned.

Martin scowled, gripping onto him protectively. “I’ve heard enough. Do it Jon.”

Jude took a shaky breath. “No need for that! I’m sure we can come to an-”

“No.”

“You’re bluffing, what would be the point-”

“You know I’m not. You’re already afraid.”

“Oh, I see. I get it. You finally get a sniff of power, and the first thing you do is try to settle some old scores. Play the big man; get off on good old-fashioned petty revenge.” She scowled, anger momentarily taking over her fear.

“I’d have thought that was a mindset you would appreciate. Now, feel it. All the terror and pain you’ve inflicted.” The static builds.

“Oh, piss off-”

The static increases, and for the first time, Jude’s fear shows on her face.

“Look, look. Wait. Right? I’m sorry, okay? I shouldn’t have burned your hand.”

“No. You shouldn’t have.” Jon says unforgivingly.

“Please don’t kill me, I-sure, I-we all moan about the Eye; who doesn’t? But-we’ve won, both of us! And that’s great!” She says, breaths coming out harshly in a final plea.

“No.”

“If I’d known, would I still have marked you? Yes. I would. I’m…happy in this world. I belong here. And so do you.”

The static is almost blinding now, overtaking the cacophony of screams. Riko looks on boredly, but Tabitha sees the sadistic glint in her eye increase as Jude’s please begin to get smaller.

“Just die already!” Martin shouts, and Tabitha would cheer if she wasn’t so enraptured.

It takes another two minutes for Jude Perry to end.

No one truly regrets it.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry I haven't posted much! my illness has gotten a bit hard to manage but I'd appreciate that not being mentioned in the comments since I'm trying not to think about it tbh
> 
> please comment if you liked it for more!

**Author's Note:**

> Author is an attention whore so please comment if you enjoyed it &v&


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